Telescoping and folding tent-frame.



W. S. HANLEY.

TBLESGOPING AND FOLDING TENT FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1911.

1,129,191. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHnTo-LITHQ, WASHING/0N4 D. C

WILLIAM S. I-IANLE'Y, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TELESCOPING AND FOLDING TENT-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 11915.

Application filed November 2, 1911. Serial No. 658,118.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I/VILLIAM S. I'IANLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new Telescoping and Folding Tent-Frame, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to tent frames; and the object of the invention is to provide a frame of simple construction which can be readily adjusted to different sizes and which is so constructed as to telescope and fold up so as to occupy a limited space and form a convenient bundle.

This invention eliminates the necessity of center poles and guy ropes.

This invention is expected to be most useful to cover a grave when funerals are held in inclement weather. It can be readily adjusted to the size of the cemetery lot and guying down by means of ropes and stakes on adjacent property is avoided. It is also useful for automobile parties, being easily carried, and also serves the various purposes for which the ordinary tent is required.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tent frame set in position with part of the covering removed. Fig. 2 is a top view; Fig. 3 is a side view of a part of one of the roof joints; Figs. 4: 5 and 6 are top, side and end views respectively of that part of the roof joint to which the ridge member is attached; Figs. 7 and 8 are top and side views respectively of that part of the roof joint to which the hip members and the lateral members are attached; Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 are side and end views respectively of that part of one of the upright joints to which the hip members and the lateral members are attached; and Figs. 11 and 12 are end and side views respectively of that part of the upright joint to which the upright members are attached.

In the drawings I have illustrated my invention. as embodied in a rectangle tent having a hip roof, and, for the sake of brevity, I shall describe in detail only this particular embodiment of my invention; it being of course understood that the various novel features of my invention may be used in various other relations with respect to each other and they may be used independently of each other or in a single structure.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents a ridge member or pole to each end of which are connected laterals 2 and 3 and also hip members 4 and 5. All of these members may be and preferably are made adjustable so as to permit the various dimensions of the tent to be changed so as to suit any desired conditions which are to be met. The members 1 to 5 inclusive serve to form the frame work of the roof of the tent and the side framing may consist of a series of upright posts 6 each of which is connected to the lower end of one of the laterals or hip members in a manner which I will hereinafter describe. The members 6 are also preferably adjustable so that the height of the tent may be varied. Each of the members 6 is adapted to be driven or otherwise entered into the ground. In the arrangement shown each of the members 6 is provided with a screw 7 on its lower end, this screw being of the ordinary type which may readily be screwed into the ground. I prefer to make the members 7 separable from the main posts or standards so that the members 7 may be driven into the ground at carefully measured points and the uprights or standards be then attached thereto. In the arrangement shown, the screw members 7 are provided with sockets 8 into which the lower ends of the uprights or standards. project and in which they are secured by means of set screws 9 or any other suitable means. The members 7 are also preferably provided with some means for receiving a lever or wrench by which they are screwed into the ground. In the arrangement shown each of the screws has a head 10 which is provided with an opening therethrough into which a rod or handle may be inserted.

One of the principal features of my invention is to make the frame structure collapsible and at the same time secure absolute rigidity when the frame is properly set up and thus make the use of guy ropes, stays, or center poles unnecessary. To this end I make use of a peculiar joint between the ridge member and the remaining members of the roof. This joint may conven iently consist of a main body in the form of a block 11 having five sets of. cars projecting laterally therefrom, these ears being indicated by the reference numerals 12 to 16 inclusive. The ears 18 and 14 extend at right angles to the ears 12 and the ears 15 and 16 extend at the angles which, in plan, it is desired to have the hip members take. Each end of the ridge member has secured thereto an L-shaped piece 17, the ridge member being a continuation of one arm of the L and the free end of the other arm of the L being pivotally connected to the ears 12. The member 17 at one end of the ridge member is preferably secured to the body of the joint by means of a bolt or other detachable fastening passing through openings 18 in the joint and openings 19 in the ears 12. This permits the ridge member to be entirely disconnected from the main joint at one end so as to permit this member to be dropped down and folded against the other members which are attached to the joint at the other end. At the upper end of each of the laterals and hip members of the frame is a member 20 having its end 21 inclined at the angle to the vertical which it is desired to have the hip members and laterals take. The members 20 are pivotally connected to the ears 13 to 16, respectively, preferably by means of rivets or boltspassing through openings 22 near the heel of the inclined portions 21 and through corresponding holes in the ears.

It will be seen that when the roof members are connected together in the manner that I have ust explained, the ridge member may be disconnected from one of the joints or, if it be made in two parts, the two parts may be detached from each other and then the entire roof frame may be collapsed into two bundles of poles or rods. When the ridge member is attached to the detachable joint or has its two parts connected together, if the ridge member be itself made of two separable members, the structure may be spread out as indicated in Fig. 1 so as to make the lateralsand the hip members serve as legs or standards supporting the ridge member upon their upper ends. The angles which the laterals and the hip members take, and therefore the pitch of the roof of the tent is fixed by the members 20; the inclined faces 21 abutting against the sides of the blocks 11. Similarly the members 17 are stopped at one limit of their angular movement by having the sides of the pivoted arms engage with the sides of the blocks 11. Consequently a load imposed upon the roof structure cannot change the angular relation of the constituent members because the stresses are in a direction to be resisted by the abutting faces in the joints.

If desired, each of the members 17 and 20 may be provided with lugs as indicated at 23 and 24, respectively, these lugs overlying the ears to which these parts are pivoted and forming with the top of the block 11 a smooth corner piece over which the canvas or other covering lies. Each of the joint members 11 is preferably provided with an upwardly projecting pin 25 which is adapted to pass through an opening or eyelet in the cover so as to prevent it from slipping.

The inclined roof members may be connectedto the uprights or standards in any suitable way, preferably in such a manner that when the parts are assembled each of the inclined members and its supporting upright form a substantially rigid structure. In the arrangement shown I have provided each of the upright members at its upper end with a socket 26 which is preferably shaped so as to have its free end inclined at the angle which the corresponding roof member is to take. Each of the sockets has an undercut opening 27, parts of the overhanging flanges thus formed being cut away as indicated at 28 and 29. On the lower ends of the inclined members of the roof frame are members 30 having on the ends thereof heads 31 which have approximately the same shape as the openings leading into the undercut sockets in the members 26, the heads being separated from the body portions of the member 30 by means of necks 32 which have a length approximately equal to the thickness of the overhanging flanges of the under-cut openings 27. This arrangement permits the heads 31 to be inserted into the undercut openings 27 and then, upon giving them a partial turn, be locked against withdrawal.

It will thus be seen that when the tent is to be set up the ground is laid off so as properly to locate the screws, the screws are then placed in position and, after the framework has been assembled, each of the standards or uprights is dropped into its proper socket in one of the screws and is locked in place by means of a set-screw or other fastening means. The joints between the uprights and the inclined members of the roof are thus held in a locked condition and the uprights cannot be detached from the roof members without first lifting them from their sockets and swinging them around to the proper angle to permit the heads 31 on the roof members to be lifted out of the cooperating sockets. The screws having been properly placed, the inclined members of the roof frame will fall naturally into the proper angles with the cooperating abutting faces of the main joints in engagement with each other. Then when the cover is placed over the skeleton frame the thrust is directly downward upon the uprights, the peculiar joints in the roof structure preventing lateral thrusts at the upper ends of the upright members and thus preventing the frame from bulging outwardly and being distorted.

The cover may be made up in any suitable way and of any desired material. \Vhere it is desirable tohave considerable length wise adjustment of the tent it will be expedient to make the cover in two parts, division being in the vertical direction. Thus when the tent is shortened in the lengthwise direction the two parts of the cover simply overlap each. other to a greater extent than where a longer tent is desired. In the arrangement shown, I have made the cover in two parts and have illustrated one of these parts at 35.

Each of the members 1 to 6 inclusive is illustrated as made of two members one telescoped within the other, suitable means such as a setscrew being provided for locking the two parts of each member in their adjusted positions. It will thus be seen that the same frame may be employed for tents varying as to every dimension.

It will thus be seen that I have provided. a simple and novel arrangement which contemplates the use of what might be termed a peculiar form of hinged joint which limits the relative angular movements of a plurality of members in one direction and permits relative angular movements in the 0pposite direction until. all of the members lie in a compact bundle. Viewed in a broader aspect, I have produced a simple and novel collapsible tent frame which, when set up for use, is rigid and self-supporting and becomes more rigid under the dead weight of the cover.

lVhile I have illustrated and described in detail only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described, but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which fall within the terms employed in the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A. tent comprising-a ridge pole, a series of inclined roof members at each end of said roof pole, said ridge pole and said inclined members occupying predetermined angular positions relative to each other, a hinge at each end of said pole for connecting the same to the upper ends of inclined members, each of said hinges being constructed and arranged to permit said memhere to swing into positions side by side with each other and side by side with the ridge pole, uprights or posts detachably connected to the lower ends of said inclined members, a cover lying upon said ridge pole and hanging down over said inclined members, and cooperating shoulders on said hinges engaging with each other so as to maintain said predetermined angles between said ridge pole and said inclined members under an imposed weight.

2. In a tent frame, a ridge member, a series of inclined roof members, a hinge connecting the upper ends of said inclined members to said ridge member, said hinge being constructed and arranged to permit all of said members to be swung into positions side by side with each other to form a compact bundle, cooperating shoulders on said hinge to limit the angular spreading movement of said members relative to each other, andeach of said members being made of a plurality of parts telescoped upon each other.

3. In a tent frame, a ridge member, a series of inclined roof members, a hinge connecting the upper ends of said inclined members to said ridge member, said hinge being constructed and arranged to permit all of said members to be swung into positions side by side with each other to form a compact bundle, cooperating shoulders on said hinge to limit the angular spreading movement of said members relative to each other, each of said members being made of a plurality of parts telescoped upon each other, and uprights arranged below the lower ends of each of said inclined members and detachably connected thereto.

4. A tent comprising a ridge pole, a series of inclined members at each end of said pole, a hinge at each end of said pole for connecting the same to the upper ends of said inclined members, each of said hinges being constructed and arranged to permit said members to swing into position side by side witheach other and with the adjacent end of the ridge pole, cooperating shoulders on said hinges engaging with each other so as to maintain said inclined members at predetermined angles with said ridge pole under an imposed weight, uprights beneath the lower ends of said inclined members, and a pin and slot connection between each upright and the corresponding inclined member constructed and arranged to permit each upright to be attached and detached when it occupies a predetermined angular position with respect to the corresponding inclined member and to be locked to that member in other angular positions.

5. A tent comprising a ridge pole, a series of inclined members at each end of said pole, a hinge at each end of said pole for connecting the same to the upper ends of said inclined members, each of said hinges being constructed and arranged to permit said members to swing into positions side by side with each other and with the adja cent end of the ridge pole, said ridge pole being made of parts telescoped upon each other, coiiperating shoulders on said hinges engaging with each other so as to maintain said inclined members at predetermined angles with said ridge pole under an imposed weight, uprights beneath the lower ends of said inclined members, and a pin and slot connection between each upright and the corresponding inclined member constructed and arranged to permit each upright to be attached and detached when it occupies a predetermined angular position with respect to the corresponding inclined member and to be locked to that member in other angular positions.

6. A tent comprising a ridge pole, a series of inclined roof members ateach end of said roof pole, said ridge pole and said inclined members occupying predetermined angular positions relative to each other, a hinge at each end of said pole for connecting the same to the upper ends of inclined members, each of said hinges being constructed and arranged to permit said inclined members to swing into positions side by side with each other, uprights or posts detachably connected to the lower ends of said inclined members, a cover lying upon said ridge pole and hanging down over said inclined members, and cooperating shoulders on said hinges engaging with each other so as to maintain said predetermined angles between said ridge pole and said inclined members under an imposed weight.

7. In a tent frame, a ridge member, a series of inclined rooi' members, a hinge connecting the upper ends of said inclined members to said ridge member, said hinge being constructed and arranged to permit said inclined members to be swung into positions side by side with each other to form a compact bundle, cooperating shoulders on said hinge to limit the angular spreading movement of said members relative to each other, and each of said members being made of a. plurality of parts telescoped upon each other.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

W. S. HANLEY.

W'itnesses J. E. BERNHARD'I,

H. H. ORR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

